Gaia
by teranika
Summary: a new member joins the team with a shaded past and an unusual type of power.


CHAPTER 1 ~ TERANIKA

GAIA

Teranika lay cradled in the arms of a tall oak tree, the sun dancing across her face. She could feel the life of the tree she was in, it was a fabulous old tree and her home stood at its roots. Nika pondered over the past this ancient creature had seen, what wars it had witnessed in this world. She noticed a small bud near her right hand, and watched it closely as it grew and twisted into a long stem stretching up to the sun. Focusing her powers she caused the leaves to grow and slowly curl open, like a newborn stretching in the newfound freedom of the world outside its mother. 

Her pleasant daydreams were interrupted by the sound of hushed voices drawing close. Suddenly alert Nika straddled the branch and leant her face close to the tree, craning her neck to try and catch a glimpse of the visitors. Finally a tall woman with flowing fiery hair, and a man with an odd pair of red sunglasses walked into her vision. She watched intently as they passed under her silently and went to her front door.

"Are you sure this is the right place Jean?" questioned the man.

"Yes Scott, these are the co-ordinates the professor gave us" the woman then reached out and touched the man's arm; she quite obviously had a thing for him.

They knocked sharply on the big wooden door and stood expectantly.

Jean wondered whom they would find in this place, it was very secluded and obviously whomever this cabin belonged to did not particularly like company. She could feel the presence of another mind but could not locate it, it seemed to be all around them.

"What do you want?" a voice drifted down from high above them, and both her and Scott looked up carefully scanning the branches of the tree closest to them.

"We just want to talk, come down please, we mean you no harm" Jean called up; she had pinpointed the girls mind now, even thought it was stretched around her. The leaves rustled and a flash of green and black fell and landed expertly on the floor. This girl was nimble and she obviously spent a lot of time high in the branches of the forest around her. As the girl stood up Jean looked on in amazement, she was so, well, beautiful. Her skin was a perfect tan and her hair silky black; she wore a grubby pair of green khakis with a black top and a long brown trench coat. No wonder they had not been able to see her she looked like a tree herself. "I'm Jean, and this is Scott."

"Teranika, but just call me Nika." She eyed them suspiciously and then smiled, they looked like they could be trusted. Nika extended a thin yet sturdy arm towards a table near them, "lets talk then." With that she whisked round and took a place at the table, preparing herself for whatever 'Jean and Scott' had to say to her.

"So let me get this straight you two are mutants like me?" they both nodded in agreement, "and you want me to come to Xavier's school for the gifted… so I can learn more about my 'gift' and use it to help mankind?" more nods.

"Of course you don't have to make the decision now, we will give you a communicator, and if you decide you want to come all you have to do is press this button and talk." Jean's smile was perfect white; Nika already knew she was not going to get on well with little miss perfect. But this school sounded good: free food, free home, big gardens, pool, other people and best of all she would learn to perfect her abilities. She couldn't really see any downside apart from having to put up with shiny smile over there.

"Sure, I'll come. Provided there is a forest in the grounds…or a place where I can make one."

"Yes we have a small wood, which I'm sure you can extend to a certain size" 

"Ok, I'm in let me just grab my things" Nika smiled at them and then walked inside to collect her belongings. Scott liked her, she was friendly and she seemed eager to learn about her gift, she would make a good member of the team. Though he still was not quite sure what her power was exactly, infact he wasn't sure at all. He turned around to see Jean staring at him suspiciously.

"What? What did I do?"

"I'm watching you mister Summers, so don't get any little fantasies into your head, remember your thoughts aren't safe now the professor is teaching me to control my telepathy" with that jean stood up and walked sulkily to the car. 

"Oh brother" Scott sighed; Nika would defiantly fit in at the mansion now.


End file.
